I know I’m dreaming the moment I see her smiling at me so innocently, her body pressed tightly against mine.

I’ve been having this exact same dream for years.

She’s wearing that same red dress she always wears in this dream — the one she wore on Sierra’s twenty-first birthday.

It’s so short that bending her over would expose the curve of her ass, and the fabric strains against her breasts, barely containing her beautiful body.

“Ares,” she begs softly. “Please.”

It’s been years since I last saw her look this shy.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for, Raven,” I whisper, tangling my hand in her hair.

My jaw tightens as I fist her hair and tilt her face up toward mine.

Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her pupils blown wide with desire.

The way she pants betrays exactly how badly she wants this.

She looks like she’s silently begging me to kiss her.

To ruin the red lipstick coating her lips.

“I know exactly what I’m asking for, Ares.”

My cock throbs painfully inside my jeans as I turn us around and pin her against the wall.

“You shouldn’t even be here, little girl,” I mutter darkly. “You’re too young. Too innocent. What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

She smiles and slowly slides her hands up my chest until her arms wrap around my neck.

“I’m not as innocent as you think.”

I narrow my eyes and step closer, caging her in completely.

My body presses flush against hers.

“What does that mean?”

The back of my hand trails possessively across her cheek.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve snuck into a man’s bedroom late at night?”

She glances away and smiles.

“No.”

I smirk and tangle my hand back into her hair, consumed by a desperation for her I can barely comprehend.

All night long, she’s been looking at me like she wants me to bend her over and fuck her senseless.

But I never thought she’d actually act on it.

“Little liar,” I whisper as I lean in until my lips hover over hers. “You know I hate being lied to, Raven. Don’t make me punish you.”

She tilts her head slightly, her lips brushing mine hesitantly.

“Punish me, Ares. I’m begging you.”

I groan as my mouth crashes against hers roughly.

I’ve wanted to taste her for far longer than I’m willing to admit, and this kiss is somehow even better than every fantasy I’ve ever had about her.

Raven rises onto her tiptoes, one hand sliding to the back of my neck until her fingers thread through my hair.

She moans against my mouth, and I deepen the kiss, forcing her lips apart.

Fuck.

She tastes like whiskey and sin.

Her tongue tangles with mine, and the way she kisses me makes my cock twitch violently.

I need to know if that talented tongue feels just as good wrapped around my cock.

“Raven,” I groan as I finally pull away.

My head is spinning, and we’ve both had way too much to drink tonight.

“We need to stop,” I whisper hoarsely, fully aware it’s the right thing to do.

My lips trail down to her neck, and she gasps when I kiss the sensitive spot beneath her ear.

“You’re my little sister’s best friend,” I murmur against her skin.

She looks up at me, some of the haze clearing from her eyes.

“Is that all I am to you?”

My grip on her tightens instinctively.

“No,” I admit quietly. “But I’m ten years older than you. This is… wrong, baby. It’s too soon.”

“No,” she whispers against my lips. “It wouldn’t feel this good if it was wrong, Ares.”

Her hands slide slowly down my body, and my eyes shut when her fingers slip inside the front of my jeans.

Her hand brushes over my cock through my boxers, and I nearly lose my fucking mind.

I need to be inside her so badly it physically hurts.

I pull back just enough to look into her eyes, seeing the exact same hunger reflected there.

She wants this every bit as much as I do.

My fingers curl around the hem of her dress, and she bites her lip when I slowly drag it upward.

“There’s no going back after this, Raven. If I fuck you tonight, you’re mine. Forever.”

She smiles up at me before slowly lifting her arms over her head, silently waiting for me to undress her.

“I’m already yours, Ares.”

I bite down hard on my lip as I slowly peel the dress from her body, my heart pounding unlike ever before.

I want her with a desperation that feels almost foreign to me, but at the same time, I’m terrified of ruining this.

If we do this, it has to be perfect for her.

“Fucking beautiful,” I groan as I lift the dress above her breasts, exposing her nipples. “You have no idea how many times I’ve fantasized about you, baby. It’s fucked up, I know that, but I’ve always wanted you.”

Her dress falls to the floor, leaving her standing before me in nothing but a pair of panties.

She instinctively crosses her arms over her chest.

“No,” I murmur softly. “Don’t hide from me, my love.”

I lift her into my arms and carry her gently toward my bed.

I lay her down carefully before stepping back to pull my own shirt over my head.

The way she looks at me makes my cock throb violently.

Fuck.

I’m already this close to coming, and all I’ve done is kiss her.

I settle one knee between her thighs and lean over her, suddenly nervous.

“Tell me something, baby… has anyone ever touched this pussy before? I need the truth. The last thing I want is to hurt you, Rave.”

She hesitates before slowly shaking her head.

“Fuck,” I groan softly.

This beautiful fucking woman.

My future wife.

Neither of us has ever openly acknowledged the arrangement between our families, but we both know it’s inevitable.

In a few years, she’s going to be my wife.

Raven reaches for my belt buckle with trembling fingers and pulls it loose.

“I may not know much,” she whispers nervously, “but I want this, Ares. Please.”

I smile softly and push away long enough to strip off my jeans.

She rises onto her knees beside me with a grin and hooks her fingers into the waistband of my boxers.

I chuckle and bury both hands in her hair.

“You want them off, baby? Then do it yourself.”

I tighten my grip on her hair and pull her closer, barely hanging onto my control anymore.

It’s been impossible to resist her for years.

“Don’t think I won’t,” she teases softly, her lips brushing mine as her fingers trace the shape of my cock through my boxers.

Fuck.

I need her hands on me.

Her fingers slip beneath the waistband, and my eyes fall shut when she wraps her hand around my cock and slowly strokes me.

“Ares,” she whispers breathlessly. “That… that won’t fit.”

I chuckle at the panic on her face.

“It will, baby. I promise. I’m going to make you so wet it’ll only hurt for a second. By the time I finally slide inside that sweet little pussy, you’ll be begging for it.”

She smirks before slowly dragging my boxers down, freeing my cock.

The look in her eyes nearly fucking destroys me.

God.

She’s so beautiful.

“I need you,” I whisper before crushing my lips against hers again.

Raven moans into my mouth, and I nearly lose my fucking mind as I lay her back against the mattress and cover her body with mine.

My head spins violently, and I groan.

I drank way too much tonight.

“Baby,” I murmur reluctantly, pulling away from her mouth. “Maybe we should wait. We both drank too much, Rave. I don’t want your first time to turn into some drunken mess.”

She immediately shakes her head, tears filling her eyes.

“Please don’t reject me, Ares,” she whispers brokenly. “I can’t… I…”

I silence her with another kiss and press my cock against her through the thin fabric of her panties.

A groan tears from my throat.

“I want you so fucking badly, Raven. Don’t ever think otherwise. Every time you walk into a room, it takes every ounce of control I have not to touch you. I will always want you.”

She stares into my eyes, disbelief flickering across her face.

We stay like that for a long moment, unable to look away from each other as my hand trails slowly down her body and slips beneath her panties.

“Smooth,” I groan softly. “You were already wet for me.”

She nods shakily.

“I’ve wanted you for longer than you realize too.”

I laugh quietly and capture her bottom lip between my teeth.

This doesn’t even feel real.

Raven moans softly and tilts her head back, silently demanding another kiss, and I give it to her instantly.

My finger slides easily inside her, and I groan the second I realize just how wet she is.

Fuck.

I pull back and settle on my knees between her legs, hooking my fingers into the sides of her panties.

“Lift your hips for me, baby.”

She obeys immediately, and I yank the fabric off impatiently before settling over her again.

“I need to see you,” I whisper. “The first time you come for me is something I want burned into my memory forever.”

She smiles shyly enough to make my heart skip a beat despite the pounding in my head.

Yeah.

I’ll remember this forever.

My fingers slip between her thighs again as I push two fingers inside her while my thumb circles her clit.

“Tell me what you like, baby. Tell me how you touch yourself when you wanna come.”

She grins mischievously.

“Usually while thinking about you.”

Fuck.

I groan loudly and bite down hard on my lip.

Just imagining her fingering herself while fantasizing about me nearly pushes me over the edge.

How the fuck am I supposed to make her first time perfect when I’m this desperate for her?

“I was trying to be patient with you,” I groan as I press against her g-spot, making her moan loudly, “but you’re driving me fucking insane, baby, and you know exactly what you’re doing, don’t you?”

My thumb circles her clit relentlessly while my fingers thrust against her g-spot, rough and merciless.

“Ares,” she cries out. “Oh God, Ares.”

The sounds she makes are enough to drive me insane.

I could come from her voice alone.

Raven’s lips part as pleasure crashes through her body, her pussy clamping viciously around my fingers.

“Ares,” she moans as she comes apart beneath me, and it’s the most beautiful fucking thing I’ve ever seen.

One taste.

One fucking touch.

And I’m already addicted.

The realization that she’s going to belong to me for the rest of our lives feels utterly intoxicating.

I watch her carefully as she comes down from her orgasm, the sweetest smile curving her lips.

“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper. “Did you know I was completely captivated the moment you walked into the party tonight?”

Her eyes widen slightly, and I smirk as I line my cock up against her entrance.

“Look at me,” I whisper. “Tell me you want this, Raven. I don’t… I don’t want to take your virginity unless you’re completely sure. Our futures are already tied together, but we’re not married yet.”

I wanted to tell her I’d understand if she wanted freedom before being tied to me forever.

But I can’t fucking say it.

I can’t.

I want to be her first and only.

“You’ll always be the only man I’ll ever want,” she promises softly.

And I finally push inside her.

Raven gasps sharply, her eyes widening as she struggles to adjust to my size.

“It hurts,” she whispers shakily. “Just… just do it quickly.”

I bite down harshly on my lip as I slowly push all the way inside her, a broken moan escaping her lips as I fill her completely.

“So fucking good,” I groan, pressing my forehead against hers.

Her pussy feels like a hot, velvet vice wrapped perfectly around my cock.

I force myself to stay perfectly still, terrified of hurting her.

I pull back slightly just to look at her, supporting myself on one arm while my free hand strokes gently across her face.

“Marry me,” I whisper suddenly. “I know our families already arranged it, but we’ve never actually talked about it ourselves. Raven… will you marry me?”

“Ares,” she whispers softly.

Her voice suddenly sounds distant somehow, and dread slams through me.

“No,” I beg desperately, not wanting the dream to end yet already feeling it slipping away from me. “Fuck!”

“Ares?”

I jolt upright violently and stare around my dark bedroom before my eyes land on Grandma Anne standing beside the bed with her arms crossed.

“You missed our standing breakfast date,” she says calmly. “You’re never late, so I came to check on you.”

I grab my phone and stare at the screen in disbelief.

I slept through every alarm.

How the hell did that happen?

“Sorry, Grams,” I mutter, dragging a hand over my face. “Give me a few minutes to get ready, okay? I’ll meet you downstairs.”

She studies me carefully for a moment before finally nodding and leaving the room.

The second the door shuts behind her, I collapse back onto the bed and cover my face with my hands.

Fuck.

That fucking dream again.

It’s haunted me for years.

I may not remember much about Sierra’s twenty-first birthday…

But I remember the morning after perfectly.

And it wasn’t Raven I woke up beside.

It was Hannah.